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McEntee wins Senior Northern California Open Championship

Shawn McEntee, a PGA teaching pro at the Chardonnay Golf Club, won the 2014 Senior Northern California Open Championship title at Clear Creek Tahoe in Carson City, Nev., this week.

McEntee, playing in the 50 to 64-year old age group, had rounds of 69 and 70 for a 139 total on the 6,700-yard, par-70 course. It was a two-day event.

He beat Stuart Smith of Somersett Country Club (Reno, Nev.) by one stroke. Smith shot 71-69 – 140.

It’s one of the major championships in the Northern California Section of the PGA.

“It’s an open field, so anybody can play in it,” McEntee, 56, said. “It’s a solid championship to have on your resume.”

With the win, McEntee also wrapped up NorCal Senior Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

The Northern California Section, organized in 1920, is one of the 41 designated Sections of the PGA of America. Over 1,100 PGA professionals and apprentices work at over 500 golf facilities in Northern California and Northwestern Nevada.

“The last couple of years I’ve played well,” said McEntee. “And I’ve committed myself to working on my game. It’s been a really good summer.”

Clear Creek Tahoe is a private club that was designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore.

“It’s a very, very tough golf course,” said McEntee. “It’s a really challenging golf course on the greens, as they are very undulating, very quick, with a lot of slope.

“It’s the type of course that you need to be a ball striker. You have to hit it very straight and have control over your game. And that fits my game – I hit it straight.

“It’s a course that you really have to think off the tee and you really have to think where you put your shots into the greens.

“I was thinking very clearly. It worked out in my favor.”

McEntee will play in the National Senior Club Pro Championship in November in Florida.

He qualified and played in the U.S. Senior Open Championship in July at Oak Tree National in Edmond, Oklahoma. He missed the 36-hole cut after shooting 81-78 – 159.

McEntee is a member of the PGA of America and makes his home in Petaluma.

He was the 1999 NCPGA Player of the Year, 1995 NCPGA Merchandiser of the Year, and 1988 Southern California PGA Player of the Year.

During his career, he has played in major events, including the 2013 Senior PGA Championship, the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and both the 1991 and 1989 PGA Championships.

McEntee played golf at Pioneer High School-San Jose, San Jose City College and Cal State Stanislaus (Turlock), where he was an NCAA Division II All-American in 1979 and 1980. He graduated with a degree in business.

He has worked as the head pro at Pasatiempo Golf Club (Santa Cruz), Coyote Creek Golf Club (San Jose) and Marin Country Club (Novato). He has also worked at Monterey Peninsula Country Club and La Quinta Hotel & Spa.